Bilingual Master’s Program in Law (BiP)

1. Overview 

The Bilingual Master’s Program in Law (BiP) offers students the unique opportunity to engage in graduate level study of law in a “bilingual” environment at a law faculty in Japan. The program seeks to overcome one of the principal obstacles to graduate legal education in Japan, namely language, by providing students with the possibility of taking classes and writing a thesis in English, as well as Japanese.

As such, the program facilitates rapid improvement in Japanese ability whilst allowing students to engage in classroom study and supervised research across a wide range of subjects in the field of law.


2. Program Duration

BiP is taught on a full time basis and takes a minimum of 12 months for completion, beginning in either April or October every year and ending in March or September of the following year.

Students enrolled on BiP are able to extend the period of study for an additional 6 or 12 months (one or two semesters) if they so wish, although any such extension is subject to faculty approval.


3. Program Requirements

All students are expected to complete:

i. A 20-credit coursework requirement (approximately five courses per semester over one year/two semesters). Courses may be chosen from a wide selection undergraduate and graduate level classes offered by the Faculty of Law in both Japanese and English.

An up-to-date list of the courses offered in English & Japanese can be found at:

http://www.law.kyushu-u.ac.jp/programsinenglish/

http://www.law.kyushu-u.ac.jp/student/mainpage.htm

ii. A 50 pages Master’s thesis written in either English or Japanese on any legal subject agreed in consultation with the academic supervisor. A 20-page summary in the other language is also required.

The research interests of faculty members involved in BiP are available here


4. Admission Requirements

For admission to BiP, students must meet the following requirements:

  • An undergraduate degree in either Law OR Japanese/East Asian Studies.
  • A good command of oral, written and reading Japanese. Although there is no formal Japanese language requirement for BiP, an interview will be conducted with all candidates to ensure that students have the ability to participate in courses taught in Japanese. In addition, students will be obliged to submit a personal statement written in Japanese as part of the application process.
  • A good command of English. A TOEFL score of 79+ (internet-based) or equivalent is required for non-native English speakers.
  • Sufficient financial support for the duration of the program. Please note that scholarships may have additional requirements.

5. Application Materials & Procedure. 

Application requirements and procedures for the BiP vary depending on whether the applicant wishes to apply for financial aid or not, and what type of financial aid the applicant is seeking.

Section 8 below contains a list of financial aid options and the relevant application materials.


6. International Student & Researcher Support Center

For information on housing, health care and other matters related to life in Japan, please see the International Student & Researcher Support Center page:

http://www.isc.kyushu-u.ac.jp/supportcenter/en/


7. Tuition, Other Fees & Living Costs

The various university fees and estimated living costs are as follows (please note the figures are approximate and subject to annual review):

  • Kyushu University Registration Fee: 30,000 yen.
  • Kyushu University Entrance Fee: 280,000 yen (paid once on enrollment).
  • Kyushu University Tuition Fee per Semester (2x per year): 270,000 yen.
  • Monthly Living Costs: 100,000 yen (approx.).
  • Money for Arrival: Based on the experience of former students, we recommend new students to bring a minimum of 150,000 yen in cash if staying in university accommodation and 200,000 yen if staying in private accommodation.

8. Financial Aid

i. Embassy Nominated Japanese Government Scholarship

The Japanese Government offers Embassy-Nominated Scholarships. Please contact your local Embassy / Consulate General in order to receive the necessary application documents and further information on Embassy Scholarships.

Applicants who have passed the Preliminary Screening for this scholarship and wish to enroll in the BiP for October of the following year must then submit the “BiP Application Form” and supporting materials to the Admission Office of the International Programs, Graduate School of Law, Kyushu University.

The application deadline is available in the Application Guidelines.
If you have passed the Preliminary Screening, Application Guidelines and the BiP Application Form can be downloaded  here

Applications open from Mid-June each year for entry in April or October of the following year.

Applications for 2021 entry are now opened.

ii. JASSO Honors Scholarship

JASSO offers “Honors Scholarship for Privately Financed International Students” for international students who are accepted by a Japanese university.

Applicants for the scholarship will be accepted via the university. The applicants must submit an application form to the Admission Office of the International Programs, Graduate School of Law, Kyushu University to have them recommend to JASSO that they are qualified to receive the scholarship.

The application deadline will be in May each year (the exact date is available upon request).

More scholarship information:

Kyushu University Scholarship Information web site:
http://www.isc.kyushu-u.ac.jp/intlweb/scholarship/view/list.php?nendo=2013&lang=en

Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO):
http://www.jasso.go.jp/study_j/scholarships_sfisij_e.html

Since Kyushu University does not have any control over the administration of these scholarships, it is the applicant’s responsibility to check whether the scholarship he/she is applying for can be used for the BiP program.

Please note that acceptance to receive these scholarship does not in any way guarantee acceptance into any of the International Programs in Law offered by Kyushu University.

iii. Self-Financing (including scholarships from home country or other source)

Students also have the option to self-finance their study.

Application Guidelines and the Application Form can be downloaded here

Applications open from Mid-June each year for entry in April or October of the following year.

Applications for April and October 2021 entries are opened.


9. FAQ

Am I entitled to a waiver of the TOEFL etc. language requirement?

Our normal practice is to require all applicants for whom English is a second language to submit a TOEFL test or equivalent, although if there are some special circumstances we will consider a waiver.

Is my Japanese level good enough for BiP?

Although there is no formal requirement in Japanese language for BiP, students are expected to be able to actively participate in law classes taught entirely in Japanese. As such, a relatively high level is required prior to enrollment. Students would be expected to be able to read the material contained in these files  , for example.

I cannot speak Japanese but I am interested in BiP?

This program is not suitable for beginners.

Are Japanese nationals eligible to apply for BiP?

No. The “Lifelong Learning Program” is designed for Japanese nationals. Further information on this program is available here.

If I have taken an English test other than TOEFL, what score is required?

A conversion chart is available here 


10. Pamphlet 

The BiP Pamphlet can be downloaded here 


11. Contact Details & Inquiries

Inquiries regarding this program should be addressed to:
Fax: 81[Japan]-92-802-5407
E-mail: admission@law.kyushu-u.ac.jp

Application materials should be submitted to:
Admission Office of the International Programs, Graduate School of Law, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan


Updated: 12 June, 2020